“This is the problem with boxing, people in the sport who aren’t professional, it makes us all look bad,” Jake said to Fight Hub. “There are so many egos. People think that they’re bigger or better than they are multiple times.”
“It all comes down to things like ring size, what shoes you can wear, what gloves you can use,” Jake said. “It’s like, stop and just fight.”
Jake did not tie the issue to one side. Instead, he pointed to a pattern that has affected major fights across the sport, where smaller details can slow or stop progress even when both sides are publicly interested.
Talks for a second meeting between Mayweather and Pacquiao have continued for more than a decade after their first fight generated record revenue. The rematch has been discussed for September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, though no final agreement has been confirmed as negotiations continue between both camps over key terms and financial splits.
Jake said the number of decision-makers involved in boxing deals often creates friction, with competing interests pulling negotiations in different directions and delaying progress on major events across the sport.
“There’s a lack of professionalism and IQ,” Jake said. “And because of that, these types of deals don’t get done.”
Both fighters have spent years as the A-side in their own deals, and negotiations have again centered on control points rather than closing terms, leaving the fight without a finalized agreement despite continued demand from fans, networks, and promoters.
The first “Fight of the Century” took six years of finger-pointing over drug testing and purse splits before finally happening. While this rematch is slated to stream on Netflix rather than traditional PPV, the behind-the-scenes friction over ring size, glove choice, and A-side status remains a recurring theme.
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